University of Arkansas Gets Praise, Recommendations and Reaccreditation from Higher Learning Commission

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The University of Arkansas earned reaccreditation following a comprehensive review by a 12-member team from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The accreditation process takes place every 10 years. The commission reported that since the last review “the University of Arkansas has transformed itself. ... The visiting team was impressed with and commends the university for the sense of direction and accomplishments ... as well as the overall morale of faculty, staff and students.”

Accreditation is a voluntary process aimed at giving educators a process for improving student achievement. To earn accreditation schools must meet high quality standards, be evaluated by an outside group of professionals, and implement a school improvement plan that focuses on student performance.

The Higher Learning Commission review team conducted more than 100 interviews with a broad range of university administrators, faculty, staff, students and associates. In addition the team reviewed nearly as many documents, including the four reports from the 2010 Commission.

“To earn reaccreditation is a mark of excellence for any university, but beyond that the report is a very gratifying,” said University of Arkansas Chancellor John White. “The Higher Learning Commission did a very thorough analysis of our programs. Their comments show they understand what we have accomplished in the past decade, and what we are still trying to do. Their praise is, of course, very welcome, but their recommendations strike me as being right on the mark, and will prove to be very valuable to the university.”

The review team had high praise for the concept of the 2010 Commission and of the role its reports have played in the progress at the university.

“UA is on a new trajectory, one that is rapidly moving it to truly become a world-class student-centered research university. ... The 2010 Commission approach to institutional planning and change could be used as a highly successful model by other institutions of higher education interested in deep and extensive planning and transformative change,” the report said.

The Higher Learning Commission report recognized growth and progress in every aspect of the university, but found room for further improvement in two basic areas: diversity and the assessment of student learning.

In the case of diversity, the report’s recommendations included broadening the concept of diversity on campus, providing incentives to administrators for increasing faculty diversity, reaching out to minority students as early as the middle school years and increasing both need-based and merit-based financial aid.

The report also found that the university needs to continue working on ways to objectively measure how well students are learning in the classroom. The review team praised efforts to improve retention and increase student’s academic abilities, but also warned that higher numbers of faculty and staff are needed to match the growth in enrollment and the demands for greater quality.

The report also recognized that the university’s growth would continue to create financial pressures on the institution. Other recommendations focused on the need for university administrators to increase both public and private financial support, as well as finding creative ways to find money for capital improvements.

The Higher Learning Commission’s complete accreditation report can be found on the chancellor’s Web site at http://chancellor.uark.edu.